Learn About Anger Management

What is Anger?

Although anger is a natural emotional response that we can experience when trying to cope with such things as:

threatshurtviolation (of our basic rights)frustration

Understanding anger and not allowing it to develop into aggression is important.

The anger response can vary depending upon the extent of the threat, hurt, violation, or frustration, and how important it is to us at a particular time, and the setting in which the event took place. e.g.

How angry would you become if someone 'jumped the queue' at the cinema, compared with someone stealing something from you.If you were hurt accidentally, would you feel the same depth of anger to if you thought you had been hurt purposely?If someone bumps you in a stuffy, overcrowded train, would you respond more or less angrily than if someone bumped into you at a lively, noisy party.A family member teases you about your changed hairstyle, later a friend also teases you - would your level of anger be the same?

These events are called "triggers" of an anger response.

Be Aware of Rising Anger

The emotion of anger can arouse us physically as the physiology of the body changes: You might be aware of:

feeling of warmth (even when it feels cold) a feeling of increased energy level (even though you were previously feeling tired)heart palpitations (e.g heart ' thumping' or irregular heart beat)pulse racingtaking deep breathsnot feeling hungryvision becoming clearer and more focusedhearing becoming more acutea strong urge to yell outa strong urge to move your limbs quickly and forcefullyvoice becoming louderspeech becoming quickermuscles becoming tense (may clench fist, arch shoulders or allow face to become contorted i.e, twisted out of normal shape)an increase in physical strength

Sustained anger which causes physiological changes can have a negative effect on your general health.

Factors That Affect Our Response to Anger

Emotional State

If we are generally happy and have a positive outlook on life we are less likely to respond angrily to everyday events. If we are feeling down and "stressed out" we are more likely to respond angrily to everyday events. Other factors which lower our resistance to anger include:

over tirednessvery hungryevents where hormonal changes are taking place (e.g. puberty, 'PMT', birth of a baby, or menopause)

Physical Health

If we are suffering from some physical ailment e.g a cold, headache, bodily aches and pains, or physically craving an addictive substance, e.g nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, or any other drug, we are more likely to have less patience, be more irritable, and respond in an angry manner.

Individual Perception

Each person can react differently to the same "anger trigger". Some might laugh it off, others become mildly irritated, a few might stamp their feet with rage.

Individuals have learned to manage and demonstrate their feelings differently.

Become familiar with how you normally react in different situations and identify your own "triggers".

Original article